22 April 2010

You know...

...I'm convinced that no one ever offered a better insight into the Church's penchant for chanting than J. R. R. Tolkein in The Lord of the Rings, when the hobbits are in the house of Bombadil:

"The guests suddenly became aware that they were singing merrily, as if it was easier and more natural than talking."

Song is the native tongue of heaven; speaking is so of the earth.

2 comments:

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

I under the idea that Christ is the New Adam much better after reading the Two Towers -- when Gandalf is mistaken for Saruman, he says to the three friends, "Indeed, you could say that I am Saruman, Saruman as he was meant to be." And things just clicked.

Andrew Smith said...

Great thought, we have the Rev. 7 reading in the 3-yr series this Sunday. What Brighton calls the Te Deum of heaven. I for one will be far happier that it is chant in heaven and not the kind of songs that exist in musical theater.